he felt at having so long dwelt in subjection to this trembling and
colouring mistress of his whom he had deemed so strong and potent and
fearsome.

Then came galloping to the spot the civic authorities; and to them the
ranger awarded the prostrate disturber of the peace, whom they bore
away limply across the saddle of one of their mounts. But Buckley and
Alvarita lingered.

Slowly, slowly they walked. The ranger regained his belt of weapons.
With a fine timidity she begged the indulgence of fingering the great
.45's, with little "Ohs" and "Ahs" of new-born, delicious shyness.

The _cañoncito_ [55] was growing dusky. Beyond its terminus in the
river bluff they could see the outer world yet suffused with the waning
glory of sunset.

[FOOTNOTE 55: cañoncito--(Spanish) little canyon]

A scream--a piercing scream of fright from Alvarita. Back she cowered,
and the ready, protecting arm of Buckley formed her refuge. What
terror so dire as to thus beset the close of the reign of the
never-before-daunted Queen?

Across the path there crawled a _caterpillar_--a horrid, fuzzy,
two-inch caterpillar! Truly, Kuku, thou went avenged. Thus abdicated
the Queen of the Serpent Tribe--_viva la reina_! [56]

[FOOTNOTE 56: viva la reina!--(Spanish) long live the queen!]